Prosecutors seek a punishment for the criminals involved in human trafficking

Prosecutors seek a punishment for the criminals involved in human trafficking

In 2001, three citizens of the Republic of Moldova were taken to Turkey to organ harvesting. However, criminals who have taken them, were still at large, and all because the court found them not guilty.

Prosecutor’s general office said that prosecutors which required for 4 accused of from 8 to 10 years in prison, appealed the judgment against the February 21, 2014 passed by the Central court. Statement of the appeal has accepted in the Appeals chamber of Chisinau. As a result of the considering the appeal, three of the offenders were bring in guilty. They were put on the 7 years of imprisonment in a closed prison. However, and this time the court decision didn’t satisfy the prosecutors, who announced their intention to appeal to the Supreme Court of Justice to condemn and fourth suspect in participation in a crime.

Prosecutors found that the accused in the period 2001-2002, taking advantage of difficult financial situation of 3 citizens of the Republic of Moldova, offered them to go to Turkey and sell organs. The clinic, in which the victims were brought, worked illegally and was closed by the Turkish authorities in 2004.

The injured persons were surveyed in Moldova, then to them was organized a flight to Istanbul, where they were met by a citizen of Israel, which took them to the hospital. In the clinic, at each of them surgically was removed the one kidney.

One of the victims was promised that will be engaged as a fitter in Turkey without saying that he will give away a kidney.

Prosecutors say that to each of the «donors» was paid a sum of 4, 6 and 10 thousand dollars, respectively.

During the investigation it was found that one of the members of the criminal network is a citizen of Israel, in respect of which the prosecution continues. He, according to the investigation, is the founder of the criminal scheme.

In 2007, he was detained by Ukrainian law-enforcement authorities after the Prosecutor’s general office of the Republic of Moldova announced him to the international search for human trafficking. After the detention the Moldovan side has sent a request to extradite a citizen of Israel with the purpose of criminal prosecution.

However, the Prosecutor’s general office of Ukraine has received a similar request from Israel, and in October 2009 he was transferred to the Israeli law-enforcement authorities. In Israel, was initiated a criminal case on charges of human trafficking, intentional infliction of grievous bodily harm, fraud, document forgery and so forth.

The investigation was carried out in the Office to monitor and combat trafficking in persons of the Prosecutor's general office.

The decision of the Appeal court is final but can be challenged legally in the Supreme Court of Moldova.

Prosecutor’s general office has reported that in
2015, 151 human trafficking cases were established, 52 criminal cases were
referred to the court instances of Moldova.